Many people (myself included) find working out to be an awesome, stress-relieving experience. Not only does exercising get those euphoria-inducing endorphins flowing, it can also clear and focus your mind. Problems that seemed huge and unweildy before you entered the gym may seem insignificant and easily solved post-workout. Even if the problem’s still a doozy once you’re through working up a sweat, at least you were able to take your mind off of it for a short time.
Despite these stress-relieving effects, some people find the gym to be downright stress-inducing. Going into a gym, especially as a beginner, can be very intimidating. Maybe you’re not totally happy with the way you look or you feel out of place. Maybe you’re unsure of what you should be doing or how to use the equipment and you’re afraid you’re going to make a fool of yourself. Or maybe you’ve got your whole workout planned out when you go into the gym, but it’s usually crowded and someone seems to always be on the piece of equipment you want to use and it’s driving you nuts! If you can relate to any of these examples, I’d like to offer you some techniques to make yourself and your workout better.
First, if you’re nervous, try to focus on your goals. In other words, the reason you joined the gym and decided to start working out. Remember, most things that are worth having in life take a lot of hard work to achieve and a great body is no different. Don’t let a case of the nerves screw up your long-term goals for a better you. Stay focused. On a more practical, less cerebral level, get educated. The more you know about working out and the equipment around you, the more comfortable and confident you’ll be. Read books and magazines and check out websites (like this one and many others) to become as knowledgable as you can. Think about any test you’ve ever taken…when do you feel more comfortable and confident? When you know the material like the back of your hand or when you haven’t studied at all and have no idea what you’re doing? In my proper form article I talk more about educating yourself on any exercises you’d like to work into your routine, but the bottom line is: the more you know, the better you’ll feel.
If you’re a person who’s very organized and likes to plan out their workouts ahead of time, congratulations. This is definitely an important part of bodybuilding. However, if, as I mentioned earlier, you get very stressed out when another person is on the machine you had planned to use, let me offer you this advice. If someone’s on “your” machine, don’t stress about it. Just look at it as something that will add variety to your workout. You should be mixing things up as much as you can anyway, and this will provide you the perfect opportunity to do just that. The best way to go about it, and what I personally do, is to have a sort of Rolodex of alternate exercises for each bodypart (or parts of bodyparts) in the ol’ noggin (once again becoming knowledgable comes into play bigtime!). Let me give you an example using a chest routine. I’ll list the “preferred” exercise order with just some of the alternative exercises that could be swapped in and out if need be.
Incline Barbell Press
Alternatives: Smith Machine Incline Press, Hammer Strength Machine Incline Press, Incline Press with Dumbbells, Circuit Incline Press, Push-ups with feet raised
Flat-Bench Barbell Press
Alternatives: Smith Machine Flat-Bench Press, Dumbbell Flat-Bench Press, Hammer Strength Seated Press, Circuit Chest Press, Push-ups
Smith Machine Decline Press
Alternatives: Dumbbell Decline Press, Push-ups with hands raised
Dumbbell Pectoral Flyes
Alternatives: Cable Flyes, Pec-Deck Flyes
As you can see, if you encounter any problems with a member of the gym clientele beating you to your intended destination, you can quickly and easily substitute another exercise into the routine in it’s place without effecting the efficacy of your workout in the slightest. It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3. Hope these strategies help and here’s to bigger, badder, and more stress-free workouts!
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